NOVEL WEB Chapter 24:
The Great Hall had been completely transformed by the time the evening arrived. Instead of the long dining tables, a large dueling platform had been set up in the center of the room. Bright candles hovered above, casting an ominous glow on the polished floor. The anticipation in the air was palpable, despite the morning’s drowsiness.
Harry, Luna, and Daphne stood near the front of the crowd, watching as students trickled in, most of them curious about the night’s event. Even some of the Slytherins looked intrigued, their usual disdain tempered by the novelty of it all.
"At least this should be amusing," Harry whispered to Luna, who nodded in agreement, though her expression showed mild interest.
Daphne stifled a laugh. "If nothing else, it'll be fun to watch Lockhart get embarrassed."
A sudden hush fell over the room as Professor Lockhart strode onto the platform, beaming with his usual self-confidence. His robes, a garish shade of purple tonight, billowed behind him in what was clearly an exaggerated flair. He raised his hands, calling for silence.
"Welcome, welcome!" Lockhart's voice echoed through the hall, and some students winced. "To the first meeting of the Hogwarts Dueling Club! Tonight, I will be teaching you the fine art of dueling, ensuring that you all become as proficient as—well, as myself, naturally."
“Isnt Flitwick the international dueling champion?” Luna asks rather loudly.
Luna's voice carried through the hall, and the murmur of students immediately turned into a few scattered chuckles. Even Harry smirked at her boldness, while Daphne covered her mouth to hide a grin. Lockhart, however, appeared oblivious to the jab, his bright smile never faltering.
"Ah, yes, Professor Flitwick is indeed skilled," Lockhart replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, as if brushing aside the idea that anyone could compare to him. "But tonight, you'll be learning from me!" He spread his arms wide, basking in the attention.
Harry leaned closer to Luna. "I can't tell if he's that clueless or if he just doesn't care."
"Maybe both," Luna whispered back with a small smirk.
The two looked over to see that said half goblin professor was absolutly fuming at the slight against him.
Lockhart continued, his enthusiasm unchecked. "Now, before we begin, I will demonstrate the proper dueling form with the assistance of our esteemed Potions Master, Professor Snape!" He gestured toward the far end of the platform, where Snape stood like a dark shadow, his expression as stern as ever.
The crowd of students fell silent again as Snape stepped forward, his black robes sweeping behind him. His sharp gaze scanned the room before settling on Lockhart with clear disdain.
"Shall we?" Lockhart said, looking far too pleased with himself as he took his position opposite Snape.
Snape gave a curt nod, his lips curling ever so slightly as if relishing what was about to happen.
As Snape and Lockhart took their positions on the dueling platform, Harry exchanged a knowing glance with Luna. They both knew, without a doubt, that Lockhart was a complete fraud. His flashy antics and over-the-top bravado might fool the younger students, but anyone paying attention could see the cracks in his facade. Luna raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and mild pity.
Harry leaned toward her, his voice low. “You think Snape’s going to destroy him?”
Luna nodded, smirking. “Absolutely. Lockhart’s about to get a lesson he’ll never forget.”
Beside them, Daphne rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “He’s such an idiot,” she muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know how anyone believes a word he says."
Harry snickered. “They won't for long."
“Right the article is almost done I cant wait for daddy to print it.” Luna states with a smirk, having her father right abut the flamboyant fraud was sure to get quite a few readers.
“Wands at the ready!” Lockhart called, striking a ridiculous dueling pose that seemed more suited to a stage play than an actual duel.
“We must follow tradition, Lockhart,” Snape drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “A duel begins with a bow.”
Lockhart, still flashing that ridiculous grin, gave a theatrical, overly exaggerated bow, his robe flaring out dramatically as if he was performing on a stage. Snape, on the other hand, inclined his head barely an inch, his eyes never leaving Lockhart’s.
Harry leaned closer to Luna and Daphne, whispering, “He’s toast.”
Luna stifled a laugh behind her hand, nodding in agreement. Daphne rolled her eyes, muttering, “I can’t believe we’re watching this.”
As soon as the bow was complete, Snape wasted no time. His wand snapped up with lightning speed, and he hissed, “Expelliarmus!”
A blast of red light erupted from Snape’s wand, streaking across the platform with deadly precision. Lockhart, who had barely raised his wand, was caught completely off-guard. The disarming spell slammed into him with the force of a Bludger, sending his wand flying from his hand and him crashing backwards onto the polished floor of the Great Hall.
There was a moment of stunned silence as Lockhart stood there hand empty staring at snape.
Lockhart, his face red with embarrassment but still trying to maintain his trademark smile. “Ah, well, that was just… a little demonstration! You see, Severus here is a very talented duelist. I, of course, let him win… just to show you how powerful disarming can be!” He rambled, straightening his robes as the hall erupted into more laughter.
“THAT IS IT! You two!” Lockhart suddenly barked, pointing dramatically at Luna Lovegood and Theodore Nott. “Up here now! Show us how you students duel!”
Luna and Theodore exchanged glances, both looking mildly surprised. Theodore’s brows furrowed as he reluctantly stepped forward, his wand held stiffly at his side. Luna, on the other hand, sauntered up to the platform with ease a smile on her face, her wand casually tucked into her robes. Instead, she summoned forth...a sword.
Luna deftly grabbed it before holding it to her side. The blade was dark, its polished surface gleamed ominously in the faint light, a metallic sheen that caught the dim candlelight of the castle, casting fleeting reflections along the long blade that nearly touched the ground.The hilt, wrapped in dark leather, was worn smooth perfectly fitting Luna’s grip. It was rather clear she had alot of experience with said blade.
"Wait, what? You— you can't—!" Theodore stammerd feeling utterly terrified of the blade.
“Actually, according to The Compendium of Traditional Dueling Practices, section 3, paragraph 7,” Luna began in her usual dreamy tone, “any weapon magically imbued and wielded through magical means is considered a legitimate dueling tool, provided it does not inherently exceed the power of a grand stave.”
The room went silent for a moment as people processed her words. Theodore, still flustered, blinked rapidly. “That— that’s a rule?”
Luna nodded sagely. “It is. Not many use it, of course. Most duels these days are a bit boring, all spells and no flair.”
Harry and Daphne exchanged amused glances.
"Well, I guess no one can argue with that, it is the rules after all, although you don’t see many on the dueling circuit using a sword," came a voice from the entrance.
All eyes turned toward the doorway, where Professor Flitwick, the half-goblin dueling master, stood leaning casually against the frame, watching the club with an amused glint in his eyes.
The students stared, many looking awed and nervous in the presence of a former international dueling champion. Theodore looked even more embarrassed under Flitwick's gaze, while Luna simply smiled, as though the entire exchange was as ordinary as breathing.
"Professor Flitwick!" Lockhart exclaimed, his voice more high-pitched than usual as he waved dramatically. "So glad to see you! Perhaps you’d like to offer some of your... expert advice!"
Flitwick gave a small chuckle and walked into the hall, nodding to Luna as he passed. "Luna's quite right, you know. There’s a long history of using enchanted blades in magical duels. Not commonly done these days, but entirely within the rules."
Flitwick gave Luna a small, approving nod before turning his attention back to the increasingly flustered Theodore. "Carry on, Mr. Nott. Let's see how well you adapt."
“How is a sword going to stop a spell?” Theodore asked, trying to mask his uncertainty with a hint of defiance.
Luna, her expression as serene as ever, simply shrugged. “I’ll just win.”
Theodore frowned, clearly not expecting such a direct answer. “How?”
Luna spoke matter-of-factly, as if the whole thing were already decided. “I’ll parry your spell, run up to you, sweep your feet out from under you, then hold my blade to your neck, forcing you to concede.”
The room fell into stunned silence for a moment. Theodore looked like he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or worry. The students who overheard Luna’s calm declaration were divided between amusement and intrigue.
Flitwick, still leaning against the doorframe, smiled faintly. "Sounds like a solid strategy, Miss Lovegood. Mr. Nott, I suggest you take her seriously."
Theodore shook his head, trying to shake off his confusion. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Luna simply gave a serene smile. “Sirius, isn’t that Harry’s godfather?”
The joke went over most of the students' heads, though a few professors seemed taken aback by it. Theodore, however, still couldn't quite wrap his mind around her approach. “So, you’re really going to try to parry my spells?”
“Yes,” Luna responded, her tone as light as ever.
Before Theodore could argue any further, Lockhart, eager to get the duel underway, interrupted, “Right, that’s enough chit-chat! BEGIN!”
“PARRY THIS! Confringo!” Theodore shouted, casting the Blasting Curse.
The curse shot forward with speed, a fiery blast heading straight for Luna.
With an elegant twist of her blade, Luna deflected the curse with ease, redirecting its force. The spell ricocheted off her sword in a surprising display of precision, striking a far-off pillar and causing a loud explosion that sent dust flying through the Great Hall.
The students gasped, their eyes wide with astonishment. Theodore’s jaw dropped as he stood there, utterly dumbfounded only to have time to scream in terror as the blonde rushed him.
With in a second his vision was looking straight up at the roof as he felt a dull ring when the back of his skull smacked the ground and the now steel red blade was held against his throat.
“I surrender!” Nott Shouted only to befily get out, “i think i have a concussion.” before struggling to stand.
As Luna stepped back, a triumphant smile still on her face, Professor Flitwick clapped his hands together, his eyes sparkling with approval. “Well done, Miss Lovegood! That was an impressive display of skill.”
“Yes, yes! A splendid demonstration of… uh, unconventional dueling techniques!” Lockheart stated waving his hands dramatically
In stark contrast, Severus Snape stood off to the side, his expression dark and disapproving. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and his lips were pressed into a thin line as he watched Luna walk towards Harry Potter and… Daphne Greengrass, it appears he would need to have a talk with one of his snakes.
